Hot chocolate and candy canes are classic winter treats, so why not combine them to get something even better? You can simply mix some powdered hot chocolate into a cup of hot water and add a candy cane, but you won't get a very rich hot chocolate. Making one from scratch using melted chocolate will give you an extra-rich hot chocolate. You can even tweak the ingredients and make it vegan or non-dairy as well.

Tear open a packet of hot cocoa mix and pour the powder into a mug. If your hot cocoa mix comes in a box, measure out 2 tablespoons. Adding the powder first will help it mix better when you add the milk, water, or coffee.

Heat 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water, milk, or coffee. Any of the three will work. Water will give you the most basic cocoa, while milk will give you the richest. If you like coffee, you might like a peppermint mocha instead. Whatever you choose to use must be very hot or the powder won't dissolve well.

Heat water in a kettle or in the microwave (about 1 to 2 minutes). This will give you a lighter hot cocoa.

Heat milk in a saucepan or in the microwave(about 1 to 2 minutes). This will give you a richer, creamer hot cocoa.

Brew a cup of coffee if you want a peppermint mocha.[5] For a richer peppermint mocha, add a splash of milk or half-and-half.

Garnish and serve the hot chocolate. Add a swirl of whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate. For a pop of color, sprinkle some more crushed candy pieces on top. If you don't like whipped cream, plop in a few marshmallows instead.

If you have any extra candy canes, you can stick it into the hot chocolate, and use it to stir.

Break the chocolate into smaller pieces. You can use your fingers, or whack it a few times with a rolling pin. Breaking the chocolate into smaller pieces will help it melt faster. You can also use chocolate chips instead.

Heat the chocolate and milk over low heat until the chocolate melts.[6] Stir the mixture from time to time so that it does not scorch. You can use a whisk or spatula. Don't let it come to a boil, or the chocolate will burn.

Garnish and serve the hot chocolate. Swirl some whipped cream on top of the hot chocolate, and add a sprinkle of crushed candy cane. If you don't like whipped cream, toss in a few marshmallows instead.

Stir in the peppermint and vanilla extracts. You are adding the vanilla extract to help give the white chocolate some flavor, so that it does not taste too much like milk. If you'd like a more minty flavor, use a little bit more peppermint extract.

Pour the mixture into 2 mugs. Simply pour the hot chocolate straight from the pot and into the mugs. If the saucepan is too heavy for you to lift, use a soup ladle to scoop up the hot chocolate, and transfer it to the mugs.

Garnish and serve the hot chocolate. Marshmallows go well with hot chocolate, but you can also top it with whipped cream instead. If you really want to get fancy, sprinkle some crushed peppermint candy can over the whipped cream.

If you have any candy canes, you can stick it into the hot chocolate as a final touch.

Add the coconut oil, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and sea salt into a small saucepan. The coconut oil will give the hot chocolate a creamier texture.[8] The sea salt will help cut down on the sweetness, and bring out the flavor of the chocolate. If you like your drinks really sweet, omit the sea salt.

Make sure that you use refined coconut oil, or you will get a coconut flavor, which may not work well with peppermint.

Remove from heat and stir in the peppermint extract. Place the saucepan down on a heat-safe surface first, then add the peppermint extract. Give the hot chocolate a final stir so that it mixes in evenly.